Kobe Bryant beats Michael Jordan, Maradona, Messi as top sportsman mentioned in songs

The complete extent of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's impact is pretty hard to determine. The late NBA legend is known for his illustrious career with the Lakers, also had a quite a lot of impact off the pitch, with many top athletes referring to him as their source of inspiration. Bryant's ability to deliver at the clutch moments made him one of the best in NBA history, and tales of his 'Mamba Mentality' are well known in popular culture.

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Kobe Bryant beats Lionel Messi, Maradona as the sportsman most mentioned in songs  

In research by British website TopRatedCasinos.co.uk on the lyrics page Lyrics.com, the analysts found that Diego Maradona was amongst the sports personalities most mentioned in songs. The Argentine legend passed away late last month, suffering a cardiac arrest in his Buenos Aires home. The Napoli legend had a lasting impact with his skills on the pitch, winning the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award. The report stated that Maradona had over 270 mentions, but was nowhere near the top of the pile. Maradona's successor in the Argentine football scene and Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has 553 citations, more than twice of Maradona.

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The 33-year-old has won six ballon d'Or titles and arguably is regarded as one of th finest players to have ever played the sport. While Messi had the volume, it was Maradona's songs that were reportedly more popular.  While Michael Jordan's numbers weren't revealed, he certainly did not top Maradona or Messi, with Lakers legend Kobe Bryant holding out on that front. The five-time NBA champion had an incredible number of 1147 citations, more than that of Lionel Messi and Maradona combined.

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Kobe Bryant wore the 24 jersey at the Los Angeles Lakers, and curiously, there have been 24 songs that have been directly dedicated to him. The Lakers legend tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January this year, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. Among all the tributes directed to the Black Mamba and his legacy,  Lil Wayne (released a song with his name), Kendrick Lamar (Mamba forever), Juicy J (Who da neighbours), and Bad Bunny (6 rings) struck a chord with the listeners and were amongst the most famous. 

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(Image Courtesy: nba.com)